Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Friday targeted a section of the media saying that they had “controlled” her predecessor Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, but would fail to influence her, just as they had failed with CPM patriarch Jyoti Basu.

“They control everybody, but not me. Buddhababu was responsible for Singur and Netai after they created “Brand Buddha”. Jyotibabu understood and did not care for them. Similarly do not try to control me in running the government,” Mamata said, calling for for their boycott.

Without naming BJP Prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, she said that the particular section of the media had not protested when he allegedly tried to divide Bengalis and non-Bengalis. “Why did you not protest it?” she asked addressing an election meeting here. We have become the number one in the country in the utilisation of funds for 100 days work, but you chose to ignore this,” she said, adding that after the results of the Lok Sabha elections are declared, those “spreading canards will realise all their efforts have gone in vain”.

Mamata also accused the CPM, Congress and BJP of trying to bring back Maoist violence in junglemahal. “We restored peace in junglemahal. CPM, Congress and BJP are trying to bring back the violence. Those trying to sabotage peace and intimidate the people with guns won’t be spared. Our government will take strong action,” she said.

Mamata said that before her government took over, 400 to 700 people used to be killed every year, including several policemen. “Many are still waiting for the return of missing family members,” she said.

At another election meeting at Kharagpur, she reiterated that people who were not secular could not become the Prime Minister. “Those who don’t believe in secularism can’t be the Prime Minister. India is a multi-lingual, multi-religious country. I love and respect all the
religions.”